Dragon Ball ZR
by OldboyZ
Summary: This is not the story you remember, but I guarantee, as a fan of DBZ, you will enjoy it! Revisit our favorite Universe, under new circumstances. Discover the consequences of letting Raditz live on. Witness the never before seen Android Children of Dr Giro. Watch Vegeta become King! This is my love letter to Z, my first and, so far, only Fanfiction. I hope you love reading it!
1. Chapter 1 Two Centimeters Difference

Part 1

The New Path

Chapter 1

2 Centimeters Difference

The sickening, wet snapping, the raw wheezing, the agonized and near continuous screams. Piccolo could hear all of it, see all of it, but could do nothing.

Any other day, the green skinned son of tyranny would have been glad to see this kind of thing happen, especially to Goku. But not today. Today, despite the pristine blue sky, rolling green fields, and distant mountains, was turning into a pretty bad day.

~If Goku had told me he had an older brother who was ten times worse than he was, then I would have attacked the lookout and stolen the room of spirit and time!~ He thought, teeth grinding.

To think Piccolo's own helplessness would pain him most greatly, not when losing to his rival, but when watching that murderer, who had slain his similarly named father, being crushed like a bug beneath the heel of another.

Goku screamed.

~Damn it, hold on Goku! Hold on for just a little bit longer…~

As it was, Raditz was taking great pleasure in crushing Piccolo's rival underfoot, making a game of causing him great pain. Goku's chest was a ragged mess, bones clearly broken beneath the skin. Even now the younger sibling lost more and more strength, and it seemed the monstrous Saiyan was nearly finished with his brother.

~When he kills Goku, he'll come at me! I...I've got to anticipate his attack, his speed is too great to defeat in a straight forward contest, but if I can turn and fire the-~

Piccolo's thoughts were interrupted by a familiar hum entering his mind, like the gentle buzzing of a giant bee. It took him several moments before he realized that he was sensing a power level, a new opponent on the field. Evidently, Raditz had sensed this as well, muttering to himself as he craned his head, looking about in all directions.

Piccolo did not look, eyes centered on the alien menace before him. Instead he reached out with his mind, trying to follow where the energy was coming from. But it was no easy task, the ki of this new persona was wild, totally uncontrolled and unconcentrated, like the energy of a mindless beast.

~No, not a beast. Nothing so small. It is more like a storm than a beast!~

Raditz scowled, the huge saiyan continuing to look about, wide eyes darting. But such power also made no attempt to hide itself and both Piccolo and Raditz found the source of that nearly formless, raging energy simultaneously.

"What?"

Raditz's cry was drowned out by a sudden concussion which rang through the air as his spherical starship exploded, leaving only a shower of shards and fragments. Rising above it, spinning through the air before landing in a posture of animalistic rage was Goku's four year old son, Gohan.

"What? What is this?" Raditz exclaimed, eyes bulging as he studied the alien symbols alighting the green lens of his scouter.

"One Thousand three hundred and seven? That's impossible!"

"G-Gohan, run Gohan. Run!" Goku said from the ground, raising his hand towards him as if to will his son from this battle field.

But Piccolo could see it, Raditz had not pulled Gohan into this fight, the boy had chosen to enter it. The boy was a fighter, a monster, and as the buzzing in his skull continued to grow louder and louder, the former demon lord could only gape as the child practically began glowing with power.

"Leave my daddy ALONE!"

With that scream, Gohan launched himself at his befuddled uncle. Piccolo was unable to follow all that happened with his eyes, such was the speed of Gohan's attack. But he felt it.

~Just a few centimeters difference~ Piccolo thought to himself as he watched in near frozen time, the two forms of Raditz and Gohan being thrown through the air.

~If Raditz had been paying more attention...if he had used his speed…~

But it was too late for that. Gohan's sudden attack had coated the young boy in a golden mantle of energy. Again, Gohan showed only the most rudimentary aspects of Ki control, yet despite this, the energy had been so great as to compensate for his utter lack of training.

Flying through the air like a blazing comet, traveling faster than a bolt of lightning, Gohan's attack connected in a bone shattering headbutt with Raditz. Blood spurted from the Saiyan warrior's mouth and nose, his eyes blank and uncomprehending.

Gohan, protected by his energy field, spun away, hitting the ground a few feet from where Raditz collapsed.

Piccolo, mouth gaping as he struggled to draw breath, could scarcely believe his own eyes. Gohan, an untrained child, had just defeated the most powerful warrior to ever walk the earth. From the very jaws of destruction, Gohan had snatched victory.

~Best not to get ahead of myself, this battle may not be over.~

Piccolo's chest expanded and contracted as he gathered himself, observing the battlefield while continuing to charge the special beam cannon.

Goku was still alive, and clearly aware enough to know what had just happened. Lying face up on the grass, Goku watched with his one good eye, first at the collapsed pile that was his brother, and then at the small heap which was his son, gaping as Piccolo had.

Gohan was clearly dazed, but the lack of blood combined with his gradual rising to a sitting position told Piccolo that the boy shaped monster was fine. The same could not be said of his uncle.

Bleeding from every orifice on his face, eyes white and unresponsive, Raditz lay in the dirt, clearly dead or close enough for it not to matter. A huge gash somewhere on his head had matted his absurdly long hair with blood, and a small pool was already forming around him. All from one head to head collision.

"Th-that's incredible. Just...completely unbelievable!" He roared.

Piccolo's words seemed to remind the boy to start crying again. He quickly oriented towards the boy, power flaring within him as he prepared to fire off his attack. But he stopped, realizing that the raging storm of Gohan's power was…

~Gone...it's all gone!~

"Gohan…" Goku groaned, somehow finding the strength to sit up into a cross legged position.

"Don't cry Gohan, you did good."

The boy sniffed, snot and tears trailing down his face.

"I-I did?"

Goku smiled.

"Yes, you saved us all son!"

Gohan wiped at his eyes with the green sleeve of his robes.

"Really? I did?"

Another smile as Goku scratched the back of his head,

"I'm not really sure how son, but I'm sure glad you did! Chi Chi would have killed me if-"

Goku's chest exploded, the concentrated power of the special beam cannon drilling through his flesh and ki barriers without issue or resistance. Goku, who had been sitting up, was cut so cleanly through that he had not even been thrown out of his posture.

"No, daddy!" Gohan cried, shuffling forward on all fours to the foot of his father.

Blood streamed from Goku's lips, his face tilting downward until he was gawking at the massive wound which was stealing his life.

"P-Piccolo…" he managed, fading eyes rising to see the grinning face of his rival.

"Don't tell me you forgot what I said earlier. As soon as we defeated that freakish alien, it would be back to business as usual. I said I would crush you like a bug! What, was meeting your older brother enough to make you drop your guard? Hahahaha!"

Goku could say nothing else as Piccolo laughed, could do nothing as he felt himself falling backwards into nothingness. And with that, Piccolo felt the wholeness of his victory.

~Almost. One more matter to settle before I can call this a true victory.~

Straightening, Piccolo extended the stump of his left arm, and began gathering his energy. Grunting and groaning, he built up his reserve strength until, with a sudden roar, his lost limb regenerated in a spray of green mucus.

He took a moment to flex the slime covered fingers of his newly grown arm, and then turned towards Gohan. The boy was weeping pathetically, sitting by his dead father, pushing and shaking the corpse of Goku.

"Daddy n-no, wake-wake up! You c-can't go aw-away you can't die!"

Piccolo went unnoticed as he walked behind the boy.

"To the victor," He said, prompting a sudden jolt in Gohan, who began to turn around.

"Go the spoils!"

One quick chop to the neck knocked the son of Goku unconscious, making it easy for Piccolo to pick him up.

"You are a monster even more terrifying than that brute over there...my perfect weapon."

And as Piccolo flew away towards the wasteland, the son of his now slain rival cradled in one arm, he found himself unable to resist the manic laughter which erupted from deep within.

Today, Son Goku, the only being to ever defeat the Mighty Piccolo jr, had been killed. Today the Demon School gained a powerful new asset. Today, Piccolo decided, was actually a very good day.

ZZZZZZZZRRRRRRRRRR

By the time Krillin, master Roshi and Bulma managed to arrive at the scene of the battle, nearly everyone was gone. Setting down and exiting Bulma's sky car, they surveyed what remained.

"W-woah, where did Goku go? And Piccolo? And-"

Krillin was interrupted by Bulma's sudden shriek.

"Guys look! It's that jerk! He-He looks..."

"Dead!" Krillin finished.

But master Roshi shook his head.

"Use your senses Krillin, he's not dead, not yet."

Bulma paled even further, taking a step back as though she might turn and flee for the sky car.

"Th-then is he still-"

"No. He's not dangerous. See for yourself, he is fading fast. Whatever happened here, it did not turn out well for Goku's older brother."

Bulma swallowed hard, but steadied herself and approached Raditz's inert form. Krillin scratched his head and looked around.

"Speaking of Goku, where is he? And his son? Heck, I'd settle for Piccolo if it meant getting some answers."

Master Roshi nodded.

"Mmh, let's look around. Maybe we can find some clues."

Bulma had gotten as close as she dared to the Sayain, and while she was not exactly a medical doctor, as a PhD in biology, it was not hard for her to deduce that losing as much blood as Raditz currently was did not a bode well for his health, to say nothing of the fact that most of it was leaking from his face.

Swallowing down a lump in her throat, she got close enough to touch, carefully studying him. He didn't look much like Goku, with a high widows peak and long hair, not mention that he was almost a foot taller than Goku was.

"Hey I found something!" Master Roshi yelled, holding something up for them to see. Krillin and Bulma came over quickly.

"Is that Gohan's hat?" Bulma asked.

"Mmhm, and that's not all."

Master Roshi pointed down towards a massive crater that they had seen from the sky. The hole was clearly fresh, brown clay and soil still cooling in the sun. They had figured that it was just collateral damage from the fight, but on second inspection it was clearly the result of something else.

"What is all that? Metal?" Krillin asked.

All around the crater were glimmering pieces of the space craft. Krillin walked over to one, nudging it with his toe.

"Wreckage...probably from his space ship." Bulma murmured, her hand gently grasping her chin as she thought.

"Hey Krillin, get my Geiger counter from the car."

The short, bald warrior jumped, stepping away from the metal.

"G-G-Geiger counter?"

Bulma sighed.

"Yes, Geiger counter! Go get it before we start growing new limbs!"

Nodding frantically, Krillin turned and ran towards the car, making it halfway before slipping in the grass. He landed on his face, groaning and rolling over, spitting out dirt clods and blood.

~Blood? I don't think I hurt myself that bad.~ he thought.

Wiping his face, Krillin felt a chill as his hand came away with far more blood than should have been possible. Suddenly he realized what he had slipped in, a pool of blood and gore.

"B-B-B-Bulma!"

"What? Can't you do one thing without-EEEEEEHHHH!"

Krillin shuffled out of the pool, spitting and looking pale. Master Roshi approached, eyes widening behind his sunglasses.

"Well, there were only two fighters with red blood in this fight, and I don't see a trail leading to Raditz."

Roshi handed Krillin a small rag, which the bald man used to wipe his face.

"Th-Then that means…" Krillin said.

"Goku..." Whispered Bulma. She walked to the side of the pool and kneeled.

Carefully she took a sample of the blood using a swab and vial, barely suppressing the pressure behind her nose and eyes as she did.

"Well, we don't really know anything yet." Master Roshi offered.

Bulma stood and stored the sample in her pocket.

"Agreed!" She said.

"Let's get some more of this stuff and head back to Capsule Corp. There I will have the equipment I need to figure this out."

"What about him?" Krillin asked, his voice harsh as he indicated over his shoulder towards Raditz.

Bulma seemed to consider the fallen warrior for a moment before replying.

"Pick him up and get him in the car."

"W-What?"

"What?"

Bulma rolled her eyes at their incredulous expressions.

"Oh calm down you big babies, I have an idea. Now are you going to help or not?"


	2. Chapter 2 Introductions

Chapter 2

Introductions

"Raditz."

"Huh? What?"

"Raditz."

"Who is that? Where am I? Tell me now!"

"You really don't recognize your own father? What a disappointment."

"W-what? Father? Bardock!"

"Well at least you remember my name."

"Where am I? Why can't I see? Why can't I move?"

"Stop panicking. There is nothing you can do. Your time has passed."

"Y-You mean-"

"Yes, your dead."

"What? But how? Kakarot couldn't have killed me, he's pathetic!"

"None the less."

"..."

"..."

"What happens now?"

"Now? Now you lose your body, and go to hell. You will never fight again, never walk or eat."

"What? Then what will I do?"

"Contemplate your failures."

"For how long? Damn it, how long?"

"Forever."

ZZZZZZZZRRRRRRRRR

"So...you're sure this is safe? I mean-"

"Yes Krillin, how many times do I have to tell you? He isn't going to just randomly wake up and attack us."

Krillin nodded, eyes fixed to the massive cylindrical tank in the center of Bulma's lab. Inside, floating in a strange, clear blue concoction, was the saiyan warrior, Raditz. They had taken his armor, leaving him in his black under suit with a breathing mask strapped to his face.

Bulma sat at a workbench not far away, bent over the table of tools and metal as she tinkered. All around her were medical monitors displaying read outs and reports on Raditz's condition.

"I can't believe you performed surgery on this animal, you know he probably killed Goku right?"

"Shut up Krillin, we don't know that!"

Krillin turned towards her, his features somber. All this time had been hard on all of them, ChiChi and Bulma most of all.

"It's been three days Bulma...if Goku was still OK, he'd let us know."

Bulma did not respond, hating Krillin for voicing her own thoughts so clearly. The silence dragged on for several minutes until Krillin spoke again.

"So why not just use a Senzu bean if we wanted to heal him? No offense Bulma but I didn't know you were a surgeon."

Bulma looked up from her workbench grinning, causing Krillin to turn back towards the tank with a slight blush.

"To be honest, I wasn't sure I could do it, I've never performed surgery on anyone before. Well, no one who was alive at least. It took nearly 16 hours of actual surgery, but I managed to stabilize that oaf. I even managed to get all the bone shards out of his brain."

She leaned back to stretch in her chair.

"Just another instance of me being amazing. With any luck, he will be able to answer all of our questions."

Krillin scratched the back of his head. Even unconscious, Raditz still gave Krillin the creeps. Could this thing really be Goku's brother?

"Well, that is amazing, but it still seems like a lot of work to waste on a jerk like him."

Bulma shrugged, getting back to her task on the workbench.

"Well, without Goku or Piccolo around, it just seemed like a bad idea to bring him back up to full strength. Making him heal the old fashioned way ought to slow him down enough to make sure we can handle him."

Krillin raised his eyebrows as he looked at the tank.

"This is old fashioned?"

He flicked the glass surrounding Raditz, and to his horror, the warrior within twitched in response.

"Uhh, Bulma?"

"Yes?"

"Are you absolutely sure this-"

"Damn it Krillin, I already told you! He's not just going to-"

All at once, Bulma's medical instruments went wild with whirring and beeping. One of Raditz's eyes flashed open, and in a burst of energy, the tank cracked and exploded, scattering glass and blue liquid across the tiled floor. Krillin jumped back, falling into a crouch, arms up, face aghast. Bulma just screamed as she was thrown off her balance.

Raditz stood amidst the broken instrumentation and various components of the healing tank, looking about with his one good eye before he reached up with a twitching hand, pulling the breathing mask and tube off his face and out of his throat in a single, painful motion. Raditz gagged and coughed, stumbling as he did, hunching over, his legs trembling slightly beneath him as he heaved out heavy breaths and torrents of bile.

"I w-won't st-stay in hell." He growled, wiping his mouth as he finished.

A concussive blast of air surged out from him, enough to blow back Bulma's hair, as he took a single, hesitant step towards Krillin. The bald warrior in question seemed about to succumb to his fear, edging back on his toes, his own raised hands trembling.

Bulma watched in the midst of her own terror, unsure of what she could or should do. She knew she could stop him, if only she could get to her sub lab.

But that obviously wasn't in the cards! She chewed her lip, a nervous whine escaping her. Then, an idea.

Bulma reached down, using her screwdriver to finish closing the side of the refurbished scouter she had just finished. With desperate haste she raised the green lens to her eye, attaching the grip to her ear and pressing the wide button on the side.

A reticle appeared in her view, quickly drawing her attention to Krillin. It beeped and clicked before creating a corresponding number.

~226? What is that? Is this what Raditz meant when he mentioned power levels?~

She turned to look at Raditz, her fear mixing with a sudden thrill as it gave her the readout. It took longer to assess Raditz, but a few seconds later provided her with a set of numbers.

~Woah, what is this? His power level is jumping all over the place! 120, 700, 409, 223, 73, 148…~

Bulma gathered her courage and made a decision.

"Krillin, this gadget lets me tell how strong you and he are."

She called over to him. He swallowed hard and turned slightly towards her, glancing with one eye.

"Oh yeah? Should I even bother asking what it says? I don't really need bad news right now Bulma!"

She flashed her best grin.

"He's weaker than you are right now."

"W-What, really?"

"Yup, kick his ass Krillin!"

Krillin turned to fully face Raditz again, the huge saiyan appearing to be barely cognizant of their exchange. The shorter fighter grinned to himself.

"Heck yeah!"

Gathering his energy into an explosive forward burst, he launched himself towards Raditz, reeling back a fist in the process. Raditz did not need to be very aware to react.

Years of saiyan warfare and service under Frieza had drilled combat deep into Raditz's muscle memory. Without thinking the saiyan threw himself to the side, falling to his right and avoiding Krillin's punch. He then kicked out, his massive leg striking Krillin in the ribs, sending him careening into the wall.

The action lasted only seconds. For a moment nothing more happened, Krillin hung suspended, half his body buried in the wall. Then he groaned, rubbing his head and side as he pulled himself out of the fresh dents in the metal wall.

"Bulma, I think your thing is broken."

"No it's not!"

"Then why am I the one prying myself out of your house?"

Krillin stomped, dropping into another crouch, arms raised again as he eyed Raditz. The Saiyan tried to rise, but found that his right arm and leg were numb and hard to control.

"W-What have you done to me? M-My arm...my leg." He groaned, pushing off the floor with his trembling right arm before losing control and collapsing again.

"His power is fluctuating, and he probably has Brain damage on the left side of his head. Just be careful Krillin and you can take him."

Krillin nodded.

"Right!"

"What have you done to me? Answer now or prepare to die!"

Bulma stood up, hands on her hips.

"We saved your life you ungrateful oaf! Your brain damaged after whatever it was that caved in that thick skull of your!"

Raditz blinked his one good eye, a flood of memories entering into his already befuddled mind. Victory in his grasp, his brother dying beneath his very heel. And then, a sudden alarm from his scouter. A new enemy, an enormous power level.

"The k-kid…" he groaned.

With great care he slowly rose to his feet, right arm and leg still refusing to fall perfectly in line. Krillin chose this moment to rush him again.

"Take some of this, ahhh!"

Krillin spun through the air like a top, his leg whipping out and striking from the left. Raditz blocked, feeling the impact reverberate through his bare arm. Bulma ducked, the shockwave from the impact scattering glass, goo, and metal in all directions.

Despite the force of the blow, Raditz barely budged. Krillin grit his teeth, reversing the motion as quickly as he could manage, kicking again with the opposite leg. The blow was much slower, so Raditz found himself the subject of a painful surprise when his right arm refused to raise fast enough to intercept the attack.

Raditz was struck on the side of his face by kick carrying the force of a fully loaded bus, the impact of the strike sending the Saiyan warrior careening into the wall opposite the one Krillin had just pulled himself from.

"Now listen up Bozo!" Krillin said as Raditz pulled himself from the steel.

"We got some questions, and you better have some answers! What happened to Goku and Gohan?"

Raditz raised a trembling arm to wipe away the blood dribbling from his lips and then spat. But instead of answering, he thrust his right hand forward, palm open towards Krillin.

"I d-don't answer to weaklings!"

His palm began to shine as energy gathered there for a split second, and then a torrent of power exploded out in an ethereal blast of purple and blue. Krillin, sensing the danger such an attack posed to Bulma, jumped between her and the blast, his ki shields glowing like a white penumbra of power.

The following explosion rocked the building, and as the dust cleared, Krillin was revealed to still be standing. Burnt, bleeding, but successful, the diminutive man stood with his arms crossed in an X shape in front of him, Bulma and everything else behind him seemingly untouched by the explosion.

Raditz clenched his teeth, looking at his still quivering right hand like a man moments from chucking a broken TV Remote. Krillin lowered his arms and grinned.

"Huh, not so weak after all am I?"

Raditz eye bulged and became bloodshot as he raised his left arm above his head, light shining from it as he created a buzzing ball of energy.

"Don't get cocky, your still weak! Now, keep your eyes on-"

"What about me?" A muffled voice cut in.

Raditz twitched, but before he could locate the speaker, a brawny arm pushed through the steel wall behind the Saiyan, gripping Raditz's raised wrist painfully. With a powerful heave, the hidden warrior pulled Raditz backwards through the metal wall, causing the Saiyan to lose his concentration shortly before he was thrown through a nearby window and out of Bulma's house.

Finding his ki hard to control, Raditz floundered in the air as he tried to catch himself, finding success five feet from the ground. But no sooner had he caught himself before he was struck by a searing burst of power which lashed him from behind. Raditz fell to earth, his body and torn under suit smoking from the attack.

Struggling just to push himself up, he spat blood and bile onto the grass beneath him. His head swam and weakness flooded his limbs and body, allowing him to rise to his knee and no further.

A large, bald, three eyed man was floating out through the broken window Raditz had been thrown through, a bizarre, pale doll floating out behind him. Opposite them, walking across the perfect lawn of the Brief's compound was another human, this one baring a prominent scar on his face and wearing an orange gi.

While the three eyed man and his floating doll approached from one side, the scarred man approached from the other, the first two silent and stoic, the second bearing a cocky grin as he cracked his knuckles. Shortly afterward, Krillin exited through a nearby door.

"Tien! Chiaotzu! And Yamcha! Boy am I glad to see you guys!"

"Don't sweat it Krillin! Soon as I heard Bulma needed my help, I headed right over." Yamcha said.

"Right, and you Tien? We haven't seen hide nor hair of you and Chiaotzu for over a year! How did you know to show up?"

Tien slowly lowered himself to the ground, arms crossed at his chest as he glared at Raditz with all three eyes.

"Got a communication from Kami. He told me it was vitally important that I be here, so here I am."

Chiaotzu nodded, but like Tien, did not remove his eyes from Raditz.

"So Krillin," Yamcha called as he dropped into a fighting stance which was nearly identical to Krillin's.

"Is Bulma ready to apologize for freaking out on me or what?"

Krillin released a feeble laugh as he rubbed his neck.

"Yeah I wouldn't bring that up if I were you."

"Not to interrupt, but do you mind telling me who this guy is, Krillin?" Tien said.

"Oh right! That's Raditz! Goku and Piccolo went to fight him a few days ago and when we caught up with them, all we found was a whole lot of blood and this jerk. We think he might have...have killed Goku!"

"What?!"

Yamcha grit his teeth, anger flashing red hot inside him. His stance shifted, feet shuffling, hands bending into claws.

"I'll gut him!"

"Relax Yamcha, he only said they think he killed Goku."

Tien uncrossed his arms, raising them as he got within ten feet of Raditz.

"So did you? Kill Goku I mean?"

Despite the warrior's composure, Raditz could feel his murderous intention carried by the force of his three eyed glare, a glare reflected in the eyes of both Chiotzu and Yamcha. Raditz felt a thrill run through him while simultaneously cringing beneath the weight of his fear. He did not have his scouter, so he could not know how powerful the warriors around him were.

And even if they were weaker, he was greatly reduced. Even after being given all that time talking, he had barely gathered enough strength to rise from his knee and into a shaky stance.

"I'm not t-telling you a-anything you freak. Soon as I c-catch my breath, I'll mop the floor with all th-three of you!"

Tien chuckled.

"Well Krillin, it looks like you already did this guy in for us. He can barely stand."

"Wasn't just me. We found him messed up at the battlefield. He would have died if Bulma hadn't saved him. She said something about him having, um, brain damage."

"So what's the idea behind that waste of effort? Should have just let him die." Yamcha spat.

Tien nodded.

"I'm tempted to agree with Yamcha."

"Well, you see… we couldn't find anyone! Not Goku, his son, or even Piccolo! This guy is the only one who knows what might have happened out there."

"Well…" Chiaotzu said.

"He doesn't look like he wants to cooperate."

Raditz spat blood and flexed both arms as he began to gather energy. As much as he could reach for and everything he could take. He roared, bellowing as loudly as he could as a pink field of nearly transparent flames coated his body.

Tien's eyes widened as Raditz increased his power, Chiaotzu mimicking his friend as Krillin paled and Yamcha grit his teeth. With one final cry, Raditz plateaued and the flames burst apart. He stood a little straighter than before as he grinned at them.

"C-come on pipsqueaks, let's s-see how well you d-die."

Bulma emerged then, her scouter still affixed to her face, hands clutching a large button pad. She ran to stand beside Krillin, gawking as her scouter began to spit out number.

~Tien is at about 250, Chiaotzu and Krillin are currently around 210, and Raditz is at...nearly 400!~

Clearly Tien and the others could sense that sudden spike, but no one backed down. The tension in the air became oppressive as the fighters stood in silence, each one waiting for the moment to charge.

A small bead of sweat rolled down the side of Tien's head, Yamcha's foot inched closer in the grass, and Raditz tightened his left hand into a fist. The breeze blew gently, teasing the palm trees around them, making the fronds whisper in the wind.

"Um, guys I have-"

As soon as Bulma spoke, the five fighters vanished in a series of concussive air bursts. Each punch and kick was a shockwave, each blast, a flash of mysterious light. Bulma's jaw dropped, she had had no idea that they had all surpassed conventional human speed to such a degree!

"I suppose I shouldn't be surprised, I haven't watched them fight for years!" She said to herself as she adjusted her scouter.

With a mechanical beep, the scouter began tracking mode, and while the information now zooming across her eye piece was nearly overwhelming, Bulma was able to use it to follow the fight. And what a fight it was!

Raditz hung in the air, assaulted on all sides by the four other fighters. Fists and feet whipped in and out from all directions, each blow being diverted away by the back Raditz's hands or being absorbed into his ki shield. The large Saiyan grunted and gasped throughout, sweat beading his brow as his single open eye darted about manically.

"Got you!"

Tien's roar was followed by a hard upward kick which drove the heel of the three eyed man's foot into the chin of the Saiyan. This time the blow was too heavy for the ki shielding to completely absorb and Raditz felt his world rock as he was sent flying into the sky headfirst.

Krillin and Yamcha reeled their hands back, blue energy shimmering between their palms. Chaiotzu pointed his finger toward Raditz, a golden glow emanating from the tip, and Tien formed his hands into a triangle, aiming it up as he focused on the Saiyan warrior.

"Kamehameha!"

"Kamehameha!"

"Dodon Ray!"

"Tri Beam!"

Two pillars of radiant blue power, one slim beam of shining golden light, and a vast wave of ruinous energy flew up to intercept Raditz. To his credit as a Saiyan warrior, he instinctively recovered, righting himself just in time to see the attacks rushing towards him.

Putting out his left hand, he screamed.

"Saturday Crush!"

A massive beam of ethereal pink energy exploded from his hand, intercepting the attacks. Despite the power of the others, Raditz managed to halt their attacks, their energy struggling with his.

"Pathetic! You r-really thought you could d-defeat a true Saiyan warri-"

"Tri Beam!"

As Tien's second wave of energy collided with the combating beams, the effect was immediate. Raditz beam splintered like a rod of glass and the other attacks proceeded to race up towards him.

Raditz desperately spun away, and for a moment, a short burst of his former speed returned to him, just enough to avoid most of the attacks. Clipped by the combined blasts, Raditz felt pain flash in his left arm and shoulder.

As he fell to earth for the second time, the other fighters followed, landing in a sparse group in front of the massive capsule corp mansion. Raditz managed to land on his feet, grunting as he reached over to touch his scorched left arm.

"Ready to cooperate now? Or should we get your other arm?" Chiaotzu asked, extending his finger again.

Tien dropped his arms after a moment standing straight.

"You don't have the strength to keep going against us." He stated simply.

Yamcha shuffled his feet, falling into his favored stance, hands bent into claws.

"But please don't let that stop you. Go ahead, make my day."

Raditz grit his teeth, spitting red again before wiping his mouth and extending his right hand.

"Alright kiddies, no m-more playing around."

Purple streams and sparks of energy raced up and down the extended, trembling limb. The others responded by preparing their own attacks, gathering even more energy this time.

"Time to put you c-cocky brats back i-in school…"

"Kahmehameha!"

"Kahmehameha!"

"Dodon Ray!"

"Tri Beam!"

"Vacation delete."

As before, a wave of ruinous power accompanied by two beams of swirling blue light, and one thin ray of yellow energy shot out towards Raditz. In response, Raditz's twitching right arm seemed to explode in a massive discharge of power. A raging bolt of purple energy rushed towards the oncoming attacks, scorching the air in a ear pounding thrum.

But just before the attacks could collide, something rushed between them, noticeable only because of the vast difference in its power level. Bulma gawked.

~Over 1,000?! Who on earth is that strong?~

In an instant the beams and blasts were deflected harmlessly skyward, scattered like leaves in the wind.

"W-what?!" Raditz cried out, watching as his strongest blast was sent sailing away.

He turned to look at the perpetrator of the impressive deflection, shocked into silence as he beheld the visage of a being he had never before encountered.

Short, plump, with the darkest skin Raditz had ever seen and large staring eyes, the being sat unperturbed atop a magical flying carpet. Even then it floated several feet off the ground as the chubby creature wrung his hands, almost as though he had just finished washing some dirty dishes.

It wore a neat, tightly wrapped turban adorned with a brilliant blue jewel. Instead of a shirt he had a fine vest that seemed just a bit too small, and below that he wore a pair of loose, Arabian trousers. With an air of practiced dignity, he stood and stepped off his carpet, hands tucked behind his back. He returned the shocked expressions of the assembled fighters, plus Bulma, with a blank stare.

"You are all here, good. Kami was sure that it would take longer to get you all in one place."

Krillin seemed to snap out of the collective stupor at the mention of Kami.

"Wait, you know Kami?"

The being nodded.

"Of course, my name is Mr. Popo. I serve as steward of the look out and servant of Kami. I am here at his behest."

The earth fighters relaxed after hearing this, though Tien added something a moment later.

"Well, Mr. Popo, as much of an honor it is to meet you, you seem to have come at a bad time. Give us a few minutes to clean up this mess, then we can talk."

Raditz grit his teeth and glared at Tien, but ventured no words.

"No." Replied Mr. Popo.

"His presence is also requested by Kami. What I have to say involves all of you."

Mr. Popo then turned to look at Raditz.

"Especially you."

"Me? What d-does this K-Kami have to say to me? I've never even met h-him!"

In response Mr. Popo addressed them all.

"Kami has watched events unfolding around the arrival of the Saiyan Raditz. He watched the fight between Piccolo, Goku, and him. He saw how that ended, and, more importantly, what will come of it."

"What do you mean?" Asked Yamcha.

"With the help of Baba the witch, Kami has been divining the effects of this fight. The Saiyan has not yet told you, but he is not the only one of his race. There are two others. And those two are now coming here."

Raditz suddenly burst out into laughter, raising his head as he did.

"That's R-Right! Nappa and Prince Vegeta! Two S-Saiyan elites, the very last in all the galaxy! If you thought I was tough, then you have n-no chance of defeating them."

To everyone's surprise, Mr. Popo nodded.

"Indeed, even myself and Kami would not be able to defend the earth from them. Which is why I have come. The Saiyans will arrive in one year's time. In that time it is the wish of Kami that all of you be trained and prepared for their arrival. If you cannot defeat them once they arrive, then the earth shall be doomed."

Raditz laughed again, prompting Mr. Popo to look in his direction.

"You as well, Raditz the Saiyan."

"What? Why w-would I ever help y-you? When Vegeta a-and Nappa arrive, the th-three of us will tear all of you to p-pieces and then sell this pathetic dirt ball t-to Frieza!"

Mr. Popo shook his head.

"I'm afraid not."

Instead of elaborating, Mr. Popo placed both of his index fingers under the bright blue gem which ornamented the front of his Turban as though he were pointing to the center of his forehead. A glow began to shine from the center of the jewel before it began projecting a hologram like image into the space in front of Mr. Popo.

The display depicted two warriors, both wearing similar armor to what Raditz had worn, and both bearing the iconic Saiyan tail. One was an enormous, bald man with a thin mustache over broad features, while the other was a smaller man with spiky hair. Raditz immediately recognized them as Nappa and Prince Vegeta.

They were sitting around a campfire eating something stringy and crunchy, attention focused inside the single ear pieces of their scouters. For a short time there was relative silence as they ate, before Vegeta sighed and Nappa groaned.

"You think he's dead?"

"Well Nappa, if he wasn't before, then he is now. I hardly think the natives that just found him will act kindly towards him considering what he tried to do."

A pause as they chewed.

"So what now Vegeta."

The Saiyan prince swallowed a mouthful and whiped his mouth with one gloved hand.

"Isn't obvious Nappa? As pathetic as Raditz was, he is still a Saiyan. We will go to earth, Avenge his defeat, and finish up his useless brother's job while we are at it."

Nappa sat up straighter, a smile broadening across his face.

"Haha yeah! That's what I like to hear! Though from the sounds of it, the game does not sound too sporting."

To that Vegeta only shrugged.

"Hmm, hey what if they do keep him alive though? They might even try to use him like a hostage."

Vegeta's face scrunched and he spat to the side.

"Nappa, we are going to avenge Raditz's death. If we get there and that disgraceful filth is still alive in any form, we will finish what Kakarot attempted and then proceed to kill all those who bore witness to his disgrace. Then we can have some fun, and sell the planet to Frieza."

"Excellent plan Vegeta! Oh, now I almost want him to be alive when we get there! You know how much I like using Saibamen."

Vegeta chuckled.

"Well if he is still alive when we get there, I'll be sure to let you handle him however you like Nappa."

"Yay!"

The image then began to fade, Mr. Popo lowering his hands a moment later.

"So Saiyan, what do you say now?"

But Raditz was not prepared to respond. He could feel the blood withdrawing from his fingers and toes, leaving them frigid as ice. His heart pounded, pushing sweat out of every pour, soaking his body. He felt his limbs losing strength and narrowly maintained his balance as he staggered back.

"L-Liar…"

"I'm afraid not."

"Wait a second Mr. Popo!" Krillin suddenly said.

"As much as I get how dangerous those new Saiyans must be, and how important it is to have fighters to stop them, I just don't feel right training next to a guy who might have killed Goku, much less fighting beside him!"

Tien and Yamcha nodded.

"Yes, let us first find out what happened to Goku and his son before we agree to work with this guy." Tien said.

Mr. Popo nodded, but his face became far more grave.

"I'm afraid that Piccolo killed Goku when his guard was down and kidnapped Gohan."

All of the earthlings gasped at that.

"Th-that rotten green jerk! First he got me, and now Goku!" Krillin said, tears rimming his eyes.

"Now Krillin, get ahold of yourself."

"He was my best friend, Yamcha! How can you expect me to be calm?"

Yamcha nodded, his own face grim, yet set with determination.

"Because we need to rescue his son from Piccolo, and find the Dragon Balls so we can wish him back to life."

Krillin wiped his eyes before nodding and clenching his fists.

"Yeah, that has to come first."

"No it doesn't." Said Mr. Popo.

"What?! How can you say that Mr. Popo? We need to save Gohan-"

"Kami is well aware. He has directly contacted Piccolo and informed him of the mutual threat. Piccolo has agreed not to interfere with your training and gathering of the Dragon Balls as long as you do not interfere with his and Gohan's training."

"What?!"

"No way!"

Krillin and Yamcha both stepped forward, teeth clenched and fists trembling.

"He murdered Goku! And he's pure evil! Heck, he killed me!"

"Yeah, sorry Mr. Popo. But I don't see how you can expect me and Krillin to stay out when that monster has his claws on Gohan."

Mr. Popo put his hands up.

"Please, Kami asks that you have faith in his decisions and plans. Besides, this arrangement will only be for one year."

"But what if he doesn't last a whole year? I'm not even sure I could!"

"He will survive, of that Kami has no doubt."

"How can you be sure?!"

Mr. Popo then turned and pointed at Raditz.

"Warrior, when Goku attacked you, did he hold anything back?"

Raditz blinked as though shocked that he was being addressed, then shook his head.

"He attacked me w-with all his cunning and p-power. When h-he fired his own K-Kameha-thing, it absolutely dw-dwarfed the beams shot by these w-weaklings."

"And did Piccolo hold back?"

"Hahaha, th-that walking slug d-damn well near killed himself j-just trying to gather energy for his a-attacks! He didn't h-hold back anything."

"And how badly did they hurt you?"

"Ha!"

Raditz pounded his chest once with his left arm.

"They c-couldn't even scratch m-me. The green one b-burnt my shoulder after s-storing his energy for f-five minutes s-straight, but that was the best they c-could manage!"

"Then what happened to your head?"

At this Raditz's pride, so apparent just before, drained out of him like piss. He grit his teeth.

"The b-boy…"

Mr. Popo nodded and turned to face Krillin and the others.

As the message sunk in everyone fell into a general state of shock. Tien managed to recover first, his having had the most subdued response.

"Krillin...how old was Goku's kid?" He asked.

Krillin simply stared at Mr. Popo, mouth agape, eyes bulging.

"He is four years old." Bulma said after a moment.

This time Tien's composure broke entirely as he nearly stumbled from the shock of it.

"What?!"

"What?!" Both he and Yamcha yelled simultaneously.

Raditz nodded.

"I don't kn-know how that half breed could h-have attained such a high power level b-but...at over 1,300...he c-could be a Saiyan E-Elite or...or even something m-more."

Tien noticed Bulma's scouter then and pointed at it.

"Hey Bulma, does that thing read 'power levels'?"

She nodded.

"Yeah, why?"

"What is mine?"

"Right now? Um...230ish."

"What? No way!"

"Hey relax Tien, your power level got as high as 260 when you were fighting."

Tien slapped his hand onto forehead and closed third eye.

"So I have a power level of 260, while Goku's four year old son has one at over 1,300...Fuck power levels."

"Tien!"

"Look, I'm just saying-"

He was cut off by a brisk cough from Mr. Popo.

"I trust that with that, all concerns of Gohan's safety may be laid temporarily to rest?"

Krillin, who had finally recovered from his stupor, nodded, though he didn't look happy about it.

"Fine, I promise to trust the plan. But I can't speak for Goku when he comes back. The first thing he'll do is go get his son."

Mr. Popo nodded.

"Yes, that is why you are not going to bring him back until just before the Saiyans arrive."

"But wait, don't we need Goku to train with us?" Asked Yamcha.

"Not at all. Kami and I will handle your training. As for Goku, that is the actual reason that he can not come back until the very end."

"Wait, what do you mean?" Chaiotzu asked.

"There is a master of Martial arts in the Otherworld known as King Kai. Goku has been granted rare permission to seek him out and train under him. The longer we wait…"

"...the more time Goku will have to become Stronger with King Kai!" Krillin said.

"Exactly." Mr. Popo concluded.

"Yeah! When can we start our training?" Asked Yamcha.

"Immediately, all who are interested need only follow me to begin!"

Krillin and Yamcha looked at each other excitedly. They could remember the last world martial arts tournament, and how much stronger Goku had become after training with Mr. Popo. Just the thought of being offered the same opportunity made them both smile with sudden giddiness.

"Not to dampen the mood or anything," said Tien, eyes focused on Raditz.

"I don't think it would be wise to leave Bulma to clean up this Saiyan sized mess."

Everyone nodded, Krillin and Yamcha falling back into their respective stances. Raditz grinned despite himself, standing straight as he prepared to re-engage.

"Don't be so sure!" Bulma said as she walked forward, holding up the button pad and button.

"Watch this!"

She pressed it. Silence.

For a moment nothing seemed to happen, but just as Tien was going to question Bulma's intentions, it began to take effect.

"H-hey! What the hell is h-happening to me?" The Saiyan yelled, though visibly nothing about him changed.

Still, Raditz looked down at his arms, both of which were trembling. He clenched his fists and suddenly a burst of transparent purple flames suddenly erupted from his body, covering him entirely like a candle wick.

"What are you doing to him Bulma?" Tien asked, watching with wide eyes as Raditz's power level began to skyrocket.

She crossed her arms and smirked.

"Just watch."

Raditz looked at his body, eyes wide and darting, arms reaching around as though trying to pat out the flames.

"What i-is this? My p-power, I-I can't control it!"

The flame grew even larger, creating a gust of wind which pushed everyone back, a blaze forming around the warrior which was several times larger than Raditz himself. But despite the others feeling his power rising, the Saiyan did not seem to be gaining strength. He collapsed onto one knee before 20 seconds had passed, breathing hard and drooling uncontrollably.

"D-Damn it! Stop th-this or I-I'll…" Raditz trailed off, the world swimming around him.

Just a few seconds shy of 30, Bulma pressed the button again. Instantly the flames vanished, leaving Raditz gasping on the floor.

"Woah, what was that?" Krillin asked, staring at Raditz's depleted form.

"Well, while I was rooting around in his brain, I discovered a certain section of his temporal lobe which, when stimulated, caused him to expel large amounts of thermal energy. So I figured I would make a device to stimulate that region on command so I could-"

"Bulma, no offense but could you put that in layman's terms?" Yamcha asked, hand scratching his head as he blushed.

She sighed.

"There is a part of your brain that makes you release energy when you get poked there. I put a remote poker inside his brain so I can drain his energy whenever I want."

"I'll...g-get...th-that remote..and k-kill...you." Raditz said through ragged gasps.

"Fat chance! I'm the only one who can turn it off or on, and if I die, the device in your head will know and blow up!"

She turned her head up dramatically.

"Face it, I basically own you as long as you have that device in your brain."

"Y-your bl-bluffing!"

The others looked at Bulma as she laughed her response.

"I've been putting you back together for almost 72 hours! And you are our enemy. Do you really think I would go through the trouble of doing that without a fail safe?"

Raditz did not respond, instead wiping his mouth and glaring. He did not even attempt to rise, keenly aware of his own present weakness.

"So that settles it! You guys can go and train with Kami and I'll take care of this."

"Um, Bulma, are you sure you don't want us to take him? After all, he is dangerous, and he moves so fast, he might seriously kill you, or just fly off."

"Don't worry Krillin. Here…"

Bulma adjusted some settings on the scouter, and then on the pad.

"There, I have set a few parameters. Now, I've locked his power level to 100. Even if he kills me and survives an explosion in his brain, he will be stuck at 100."

"Wh-What?!"

"And not just that! I have also set that bomb to go off if you get farther than 200 meters from me. So if you know what's good for you you'll play nice and stay close, or pop goes your head and "power level"."

"D-Damn you!"

Krillin still looked unsure.

"I don't know Bulma...this guy is crazy, he might-"

"No." Tien said, startling the short man.

"Uh, what?"

"He won't try anything. I've taken his measure."

Yamcha scoffed.

"Yeah and?"

"And he won't try anything. That man fights for his life. He won't fight to end it. Bulma isn't bluffing, if he tries to kill her or escape, he'll die. If he tries to fight us, he'll die."

With that Tien turned to Mr. Popo.

"Lead on, I'll follow you to the tower."

A few minutes later, Krillin, Tien, Yamcha, and Chaiotzu were all flying through the air, following Mr. Popo. Their ki shields blazed white as they kept the wind out of their eyes, each flying at tremendous speed.

"Are you sure that was smart?" Krillin asked.

"Yeah Tien, seriously! If that brute hurts Bulma I'll-" Yamcha started to add before Chaiotzu chuckled.

"What's so funny huh?"

Chaiotzu only chuckled more before adding,

"I don't think you should try anything with Tien. Unless you miss that broken leg."

"Why you-"

"Enough!" Tien yelled.

"Chaiotzu, we need to become a team if we are ever going to defeat these Saiyans. We can't do that if we dredge up our pasts."

Chaiotzu nodded.

"Your right. Sorry Tien."

Tien nodded.

"As for Bulma, don't worry. Not only do I think he won't harm her, I think he might even join us at the end."

"What makes you think that?" Krillin asked .

"He is not a coward, but he is as close as a warrior can get and still be a legitimate warrior. His purpose for fighting is to remain alive. he won't compromise that.

"And if Mr. Popo is telling the truth, and the other Saiyans plan on killing everyone, including him, then it's only a matter of time before he decides to fight them. It might be just before the battle, or even during the fight itself. But he will."

Yamcha looked away but said nothing more. He needed to focus for the task ahead. He needed to train.


	3. Chapter 3 Unlikely Partners

Chapter 3

Unlikely Partners

"Ow! Calm d-down woman, I heard you th-the first t-time!"

Bulma scoffed and shoved the warrior again, causing Raditz to yelp as he clung to the hand railing. Still slick with sweat and covered by the hardening, sticky clumps of whatever had been in the tank, not to mention the trouble he had controlling his right arm and leg, the large Saiyan seemed to have trouble hanging on.

"Oh stop whining, I barely touched you. Jeez, to think you are supposed to be stronger than Goku."

Raditz took one step, then two. Bulma crossed her arms and waited. Three steps, then a fourth. She pushed him.

"Ow! Stop! I a-am far m-more powerful than K-Kakarot! It's your ridiculous l-little energy drain button th-that's done this to m-me. Ow! St-Stop pushing!"

"Well can't you go up stairs any faster?!"

Raditz began ascending again, very slowly.

"Ohh… I f-feel like I'm made out of p-paper mache-! By F-Frieza's frozen f-face, stop shoving me-m woman, or I really will k-kill you!"

"Yeah, yeah. Hurry up, you stink, and that stupid stutter isn't making you more endearing!"

Finally they reached the top of the stairs, Raditz taking a moment to spit some blood onto the clean vanilla floor tile. Bulma's eyes bulged.

"Oh you disgusting oaf!" She yelled, beating her hands against his back.

"Ow, h-hey, ow!"

"Who told you that you could spit in the house?! What, didn't your mother teach you any manners?!"

Raditz raised his hands trying to shield his head as she threw more punches.

"Ow, mother? Umph, O-ow! What even are m-manners?!"

"Get in that shower! And don't come out until you are clean! N, or I'll call Mr. Popo back here and he can give you a bath!"

Raditz half limped, half ran into the bathroom, herded there by Bulma's blows. He entered and spun, closing the door behind him and locking it. Stepping away from the door, he sighed and looked around, beginning a brief investigation of the new room. It was not hard to figure out.

He stripped off his damaged black under suit, tossing it in a bin nearby and stepped into the shower. After snapping off one handle and carefully twisting the other, Raditz eventually managed to coax some lukewarm water out of the shower head.

A little more tampering later and he had a steady stream of hot water washing down over him. He stood beneath it, letting it roll over his bruises and the stitched, aching wound beneath his hair, feeling it more keenly than he ever really thought he could. It was only now that he began to truly contemplate his situation.

"Damn it! I'm a p-prisoner to a bunch of weaklings...V-Vegeta really will kill m-me, and everyone on th-this planet! Damn it!"

He punched the wall, expecting it to shatter, yet the only shattering he felt was in his fist. Wincing, he withdrew his bloody knuckles from the cracked blue tiles. He looked at his trembling hand, eyes wide as the steaming water poured over him.

~It's kinda funny, I also know this feeling.~

"Huh, what?"

Raditz spun around in the shower, tail knocking over bottles of shampoo and bricks of scented soap. But there was no one, nothing moved in the bathroom save for the slowly forming clouds of steam.

~Of course, when it happened to me I was facing off against a true threat, not some blueberry with legs.~

"B-Bardock? Where are you? R-Reveal yourself!"

~Really nice legs, though. I'll give her that-"

"Bardock!"

~Yes, stop shouting like a brat. I'm here. Still dead though, so you can't see me.~

Raditz blinked and scratched his head, regretting the action instantly as he pulled his hand away with a jolt.

"Ah, d-damn it! How is th-this even possible? You died when our planet was d-destroyed. How c-can you return now?"

~Not entirely sure myself. Lets just say that when you came down to see me, someone pulled you back up. And when that happened I...hitched a ride. So guess I'll be sitting on your shoulder for now.~

Raditz turned towards the water, letting it rush over his face.

"For how l-long?"

~I don't know, for as long as I can I suppose. What, is bearing the weight of my soul to much of a burden on you?~

Raditz scowled.

"The only b-burden I feel is you witnessing this...m-my lowest moment. Now I must p-play pet to these e-earthlings until Vegeta and N-Nappa arrive to kill me. I might as well t-tear that woman's head off the n-next time I meet her and e-end it quickly."

There was a pause then, the only sound that of the shower. The heat from the water felt strangely relaxing, and Raditz could feel his body slowly inching back as his depleted ki began to return. Slowly, very slowly.

~You are right, this is your lowest moment.~

The Saiyan scoffed.

"You s-say that as though you did not k-know that already. Defeated b-by Kakarot, no, w-worse, his infant son. Thrown around b-by a bunch of p-pipsqueak earthlings...rigged w-with a limiter in my b-brain. Frieza's F-Frozen Feet, I c-can't even talk st-straight anymore!"

~And yet still you fall further than all of that would demand. Disappointing.~

"What d-do you mean? W-what can I do? At least th-this way my death will be q-quick and I'll get to have s-some vengeance."

There was another pause then.

~Raditz, you never fought for vengeance. You were always so...weak.~

"What?! H-How dare-"

~Whenever I looked at you, I could barely believe you were my son. No regard for honor, no thirst for glory. You were never like the rest of us. I almost killed you, to spare us your disappointment.~

Raditz grit his teeth so hard he was sure that they would crack and he threw his elbow back as through to strike someone behind him. The blow connected with nothing.

"Well w-why didn't you then? Huh? T-Too weak to kill your o-own son?"

~No...It was that I thought I could still see some potential. Some glimmer of hope that you could become a great warrior.~

Raditz laughed, the sound joyless, hateful.

"And w-what was that?"

~You fought for your own life. It was not much, barely anything in fact. But it was enough, Enough that I knew you would do whatever you could to survive. Break any code, perform any task, become anything you thought you needed to be in order to continue drawing breath. Or so I thought.~

"W-well what do you suggest?"

~I have no suggestions. I fought for the joy of it, and for my friends and family. My life was never the largest factor. If there is a way to survive, I expected you to find it. Not to succumb. Besides, if you die, you will just end up in hell, and I'll have to follow you back!~

Raditz looked down, watching the water swirl and drain into the hole at his feet.

"...Succumb."

ZZZZZZZZZZZZRRRRRRRRRRRRRR

"Do you th-think this is f-funny, woman?"

Bulma shook her head no, even as she scrunched her face and barely succeeded in not laughing out loud. Raditz scowled.

"I'll h-have you know, I am a S-Saiyan Elite! Humiliating me like this is s-something you will regret!"

"Oh, stop being a drama queen! Pink is a good color for you. Besides, I have nothing else that will come even close to fitting you, you should be grateful."

He crossed his arms and turned his back, and tight pink shirt, to her with a huff which made her giggle. She turned back towards her flying car, the big home version for long traveling. She needed to be out collecting the Dragon Balls while the others trained, and that meant possibly spending the night out in some remote areas. She could usually make due with a small car, but given that she had to bring Raditz with her, a seperate room was mandatory.

~I could always just let his head explode.~ She thought to herself.

Did they really need him anymore any way? She honestly was not sure keeping him alive was worth the risk and danger. After all, he was sent here to ensure the destruction of everyone living on the earth! They didn't need anymore of that.

The thoughts did not prompt her to succumb and detonate the bomb in his head, but they did succeed in getting her to adjust his power level.

"Hey, wh-what was that j-just now?" Raditz asked, alarm clear in his voice as he felt his already greatly diminished power level drop.

"I have you locked at a power level of 50. I'll put it back to 100 if you behave."

"C-Curse you woman!"

"Oh shut it! Make yourself useful and grab those bags over there and get in the car. We have work to do."

Grumbling, Raditz did so, picking up the many suitcases and duffle bags and tossing them roughly into the car, an action Bulma did not appreciate. One blue haired tantrum later, they were flying, Bulma driving in the front and Raditz sitting next to her, staring out the windows at the passing landscape.

"So...What are w-we doing?"

"I'm gathering Dragon Balls. Your sticking around so that your head does not pop like a squished tomato."

Raditz sighed, feeling cramped inside the flying tin can. For hours he sat and watched the scenery outside streak by slowly.

"D-not you find it un-unnerving?" He asked, looking down at the passing country side.

Bulma glanced over at him and shrugged.

"I traveled all around the world in my early days with Goku. I've been taken prisoner, threatened by super humans, heck, I even got turned into a carrot one time!"

Raditz blinked, clearly confused.

"So?" He asked.

She sighed.

"So no, driving in an enclosed space with some super powered goon doesn't unnerve me!"

Raditz's face became best red.

"I w-wasn't talking about me." He said in a slow cantor, tone barely contained.

"And w-watch who you call a g-goon!"

Bulma scowled through her blush.

"Well then what WERE you talking about?"

Raditz gestured toward the window with a sweep of his right arm.

"L-Living on th-this insane planet!"

Now it was Bulma's turn to be confused.

"What?"

Raditz sighed impatiently.

"Already w-we have crossed a desert of sand, snowy m-mountains, a large l-lake, and two different k-kinds of forest!"

She turned to look at him, face screwed up in befuddlement.

"Um...so?"

"S-so? So how can you stand it? I've b-been to countless worlds, and none of them have h-had this kind of...w-wretched diversity. How can you s-stand it?!"

"Ha, it's not as hard as you might think. We have a pretty good thing going here on earth."

Raditz said nothing to that. Soon they began crossing a vast ocean, and the passing planes of undisturbed blue bellow him reminded him of home, and aided him as he drifted off into sleep.

A sudden slam jolted him awake. He spun towards Bulma, finding her sitting down after having just reentered the car. Looking around, he found they were parked in some kind of field, a small village of huts nearby with people dressed in bright colors waving and whooping. Next to him, Bulma opened a white, armored case, and placed a transparent, orange ball inside.

"W-What Was that? Where a-are we?"

Bulma shut the case, sliding it under her seat. She then buckled her seat belt and began starting the car.

"That was a dragon ball. That village found it."

"A-And why are they ch-cheering at us?"

"I traded them two years worth of food capsules." Bulma said as the car hummed and began lifting off the ground.

She rolled her window down and waved.

"Bye guys! Thanks for the Dragon Ball!"

Raditz huffed, turning back to look out the window, watching the earth drop away as they ascended into the sky. He watched the clouds billowing around them, absent minded and nearly drowsy before suddenly remembering something. Something which sent a jolt of alarm shoot up his spine.

"Hey! D-Damn it woman, you could have k-killed me!"

Bulma waved her hand dismissively.

"Oh stop it, I knew I wouldn't go that far away. Besides, you are hardly an asset when it comes to negotiating with villagers."

"Ev-Even so. Next time I d-demand you-"

Raditz bit his tongue painfully as the entire, truck sized vehicle they were flying in rocked violently. The sound of a crackling explosion concussed them.

"We're hit!" Bulma yelled, eyes closed as they tumbled through the air.

Without opening them, she reached up, fumbling with her radio handle before grasping it and pulling it down to her mouth. With the other hand she gripped the unresponsive controls.

"Mayday! Mayday! This is Capsule Corp A.B.P. Flight Craft! We are going down!" She yelled into the device, finally opening her eyes as the sky and earth tumbled in front of her.

"Wh-What are you doing woman?! Who are you e-even saying that t-to?!" Raditz yelled, struggling to orient himself.

"To the people attacking us!" Bulma yelled back.

She reached down, grasping a large, red lever next to her seat.

"Wh-Why on earth are you wasting t-time with that?!"

Bulma heaved, biting her lip as she tried her best to struggle against the heavy lever.

"So...They don't...See this…"

The lever creaked and popped up all at once.

"Coming!" She yelled triumphantly.

The back, house half of the vehicle dropped off, falling away from the smaller, cockpit half. Wings deployed, previously hidden thrusters activated, and Bulma's loose controls suddenly became rigid once more. With a screech and jet line of engine fire, Bulma's flying car shot into the sky like a van sized bullet.

Even Raditz found himself pinned to his seat by the sudden thrust. Meanwhile, Bulma looked at the data on her ship radar and sensors.

"Three aircraft...that can't be right."

"Wh-What can't be right?"

"Well, two of these look like old, Red Ribbon Army air attack craft."

"So?"

"So, Goku destroyed the Red Ribbon Army years ago! There shouldn't be any left."

"A-And what about the th-third one?"

"It's too small. Almost like-"

Bulma's breath caught, before her brows pushed together in a hard scowl.

"Like a person."

Raditz laughed, leaning back as he did.

"We-Well What are you waiting f-for woman?"

"What do you mean?"

"Come n-now, let's not pretend you d-don't know what I'm saying. I can c-crush them like ants, just let me increase m-my power level!"

Now it was Bulma who was laughing.

"Yeah right! That stunt I pulled gave us a good head start, and we are faster than all of them. I'll just outrun their shitty, pre-Goku planes and...and...oh darn."

Bulma sighed as she looked at her car mounted dragon radar. One of those planes had a Dragon Ball. Raditz smile grew even larger.

"Fine! Just...Try not to go crazy! I'm giving you access to 200."

"Wh-What? Why s-so little?"

"Don't complain about it. I'm also extending your range so your head doesn't pop if you fly too far away. Maybe if you do a good job I'll give you more."

Raditz huffed, but turned towards the car door, trying to push it open against the wind outside. Bulma put her scouter on and tapped away on the side. Suddenly, a flood of new strength entered Raditz, and he shoved the door further open easily, he turned, looking at Bulma once more before jumping out.

ZZZZZZZZZZZZRRRRRRRRRRRRRR

The wind whistled in his ears as he fell, tensing as his body was encompassed in a painless, translucent wreath of flames. In a burst of energy, he shot towards the pursuing craft in a streak of white and pink. He smirked, feeling his old power flow through him, building, bubbling, though still limited.

In the blink of an eye he was beside the first plane. As unimpressed as Raditz was by Bulma's flying cars, this airplane was in a whole different category of pathetic. The saiyan dodged around the clumsy stream of lead bullets the plane spat at him as he dove in from the front, landing on the thick glass of the cockpit. The fat, mustached man inside the plane screamed, tugging at a pistol in his vest as Raditz leered through the glass.

Raditz yelled something at the pilot, and the man stopped tugging and blinked in confusion. Raditz yelled again, but the man still could not hear, shrugging visibly. Raditz lifted his right hand up, making it into a claw, and drove it clean through the metal and glass of the craft, grasping the Pilot by the scruff of his shirt, pulling him close.

"Do you h-have the dragon b-ball?" He yelled.

"No! Oh God! No! I don't have it! I don't have it!" The pilot screamed.

"Oh. N-Nevermind then." Raditz put the man back down in his seat.

"Sorry about th-that."

"W-what? What are you-" The pilot stammered, sweat beading his face, stinging his eyes.

"Take the rest of th-the week off." Raditz said with a smile, pink energy blooming from his left hand.

Moments later, the plane exploded and Raditz was on the tail of the second one. Looking around, he found no flying person yet, but was sure he would be noticed soon if not already. He flew behind the plane this time, grasping the tail with his hands and pulling himself up until he reached the cockpit.

He wedged his fingers underneath the steel lip of the windshield and pried it off, sending it tumbling away. This time the pilot seemed more prepared, having already drawn his pistol. Looking up towards Raditz, the man began to fire.

"H-Hey hey, relax! I'm just trying to as-ask a question." The saiyan said, dodging four shots and plucking two out of the air.

"Do y-you have the D-Dragon Ball?" He asked.

The pilot did not respond, instead trying to shake Raditz, spinning his plane around and diving. Raditz was rocked from side to side but did not let go.

"I'll take th-that as a no." Raditz said.

He backed away and punched his arm straight into the plane, groaning for a moment before ripping the craft in half. The pilot ejected and began to float down on a deployed parachute. Raditz aimed the palm of his hand at what, as far as he was concerned, was just a big obvious target.

~So obvious...too easy.~

Raditz closed his fingers slowly. The horror in the other pilots face, the helpless yet defiant efforts of this one. Those things usually seemed so pleasurable to Raditz. But now, as he reviewed his thoughts, he realized that he felt...nothing.

Then, in the blink of an eye, there was a person floating between him and the pilot. This new being had blue skin, and was covered from head to toe in large, stitched scars. His eyes were like metal orbs with tiny red lights as pupils, and the small tuft of hair on his head was white fringed with blue.

"And wh-what are you s-supposed to be?" Raditz asked, affecting borefum as he crossed his arms and tilted his head.

The being, whose face was completely blank, tilted its own head and mimicked Raditz. It seemed to be wearing some kind of yellow and black uniform, not unlike the colors of the pilot's own suits. On the front right breast was an emblazoned, red RR.

"C-Cute. I don't suppose you have th-the Dragon Ball, do y-you?"

The being seemed to go limp, and then pointed at Raditz. The saiyan warrior lifted an eyebrow at that, but didn't move.

"Goku." It said, its voice a double layer of a robotic voice and that of a high pitched child.

Raditz started and then scowled.

"No you f-fool! I'm not Kakarot!"

It nodded.

"Not Kakarot. Goku."

"No!"

"Android 10."

"I'-I'm not that ei-either!"

The being shook its head and pushed its palms into its own chest.

"I am Android 10."

Raditz sighed in annoyance.

"Great, th-thanks. Do you have the d-dragon ball?"

In response, it reached into the jacket of its uniform, and removed a shining, orange ball bearing six stars. Raditz smiled.

"G-Good. Give that h-here and I won't have to k-kill you."

Instead of doing that, Android 10 tucked it back in and looked blankly at Raditz. The Saiyan grit his teeth before calming. He smirked and shrugged.

"S-Suit yourself Android. B-But you should know. You aren't d-dealing with my weakling brother. I-I am a warrior Elite!"

"Not Goku? Weaker. Must be Weaker than Goku-"

The android was cut off as Raditz shot down, driving his knee into it's gut before spinning around in a kick, catching 10's head on the back of his heel. The android went tumbling through the air head over heels, though it spun back around oddly, catching itself before it could hit the ground.

Raditz caught it with a headbutt to the spine, grabbing its legs and spinning it. With a roar he threw the android into the ground, hands extending out.

"Double sun-" He suddenly felt himself grow light, and all went dark.

Raditz fell to the ground unconscious, laying there for nearly thirty seconds before he came to, coughing. A deep ache permeated his bones and muscles.

~D-Damn. I overdid it. No matter how skilled I am, I can't be what I used to be with a power level of only two hundred.~

He groaned, struggling back up to his feet, feeling his body flush with energy again as it rejuvenated from his suppressed supply. Still, his body have taken damage from his recklessness, even if his energy levels were soon restored to two hundred.

"Weaker. Much Weaker."

Raditz turned, seeing Android 10 watching him from a nearby rocky ledge. It dangled its feet off the lip, watching him with it's robotic eyes. The Android was thin as a reed, and only as tall as Goku. But now it seemed...different, somewhat larger, more muscular.

"You are much weaker than Goku."

"Sh-Shut up!" Raditz yelled, turning towards the Android.

He grit his teeth.

~Physical attacks should be safe, I've never had to measure those out.~ He thought, jumping towards the android.

The being jumped as well, meeting him in the air. It launched blows for the Saiyan's head and body, big clumsy swings which often spun the fighter all the way around. Raditz dodged these, pushing in to deliver hard, short blows to the android's body. The encounter lasted several, frenzied seconds before the Saiyan warrior was able to grasp 10's wrist and throw the android away.

10 made a swift recovery, smirking. Raditz blinked in shock. Now it was certain, he was getting bigger! Though he stood no taller, Android 10 was now bulkier than Goku, though still smaller than Raditz. It stood up straighter and smiled, a row of white, tombstone teeth.

"Wh-What the hell are you?" Raditz asked, spitting some blood to his side.

The android barely looked scuffed.

"I told you already. I'm Android 10. And you are weaker than Goku."

ZZZZZZZZZZZZRRRRRRRRRRRRRR

When the second plane exploded, Bulma spun her flying car around. She could see on her scouter that Raditz was confronting something, and despite her desire to remain safe, she had been watching fights all her life. More than a little curiosity demanded she see Raditz fight at least once.

She made sure to set down in a safe place, getting out of her car and sitting on the roof. She searched her pockets for a moment before pulling out a capsule case, and selecting a tiny, red capsule. She pressed it and tossed it into the air. It exploded in a burst of blue smoke, revealing a spherical, remote camera drone.

She synced it with her scouter, a device that was proving more and more useful by the day, and had the little ball fly off to spy on the fight.

ZZZZZZZZZZZZRRRRRRRRRRRRRR

Raditz dodged, ducking under a huge fist, whipping his own arm in a backhand smack that caught the android in the chest. Its feet ground stone as it skidded backwards five feet, a determined smirk on its previously hollow face. It came right back in, clumsy arms thundering through the air.

Meanwhile, Raditz was becoming more and more fatigued. Sure, he could maintain a constant level of 200, but that clearly was not enough to beat this thing. If anything, the monster was getting stronger the longer the fight went on.

He grunted as a heavy fist dropped on his shoulder, shrugging it away as he pumped three, four, and then five punches into 10's face and neck. Each time he punched the android, he could always feel its body give way to him, the sinking, sliding sensation of a blow which should have punctured or crushed the foe's body.

And yet it did not look any worse for wear, not even 10's face, a fact which was not lost on Raditz as he back flipped away and out of the androids range. He stopped and crouched, thinking as he waited for the android to attack.

~He is somehow getting energy from this fight...hmm.~

Android 10 stepped forward, and Raditz rushed him in response. In the blink of an eye the massive Saiyan was in front of the bulky android, throwing jabs which cracked like lightning. The blows struck the android's face and chest, each one pushing oddly into its body, but leaving no damage.

Android 10 threw a hard, rigid haymaker which connected with Raditz's left shoulder, sending the saiyan warrior sprawling, landing on the ground well over ten feet away. Raditz's shoulder burned, sending out hideously vivid pangs of pain. He spat grit, clenching his jaw in a scowl as he raised himself to his feet, right arm cupping his wounded shoulder.

"You a-are punching way harder th-than before." Raditz said.

His left arm hung, apparently useless at his side.

"Yeah! I feel way better now!"

The Android took a deep breath, his face a mask of joy. Raditz wondered at that, the change in his strength, the change in his speed, his demeanor…

"You aren't d-dodging me are y-you?"

The android smiled.

"Th-Thats the damn trick isn't it? I th-thought that you were just slow, m-my punches too fast to be blocked b-by you."

Raditz grimaced, sagging under the weight of his mistake.

"But you are-aren't slow. Your letting m-me hit you. You a-are somehow getting p-power from my punches!"

The Android nodded with a wicked wink.

"Yup, you got it! Too bad it's too late. I'm smarter, stronger, faster, and immune to your pathetic punches. You might as well turn over and die right now."

In response, Raditz suddenly whipped his left arm up, a stream of pink colored energy issuing from his palm and striking the android solidly. Raditz felt his vision go fuzzy, but, staggering, he managed to hold onto his consciousness. He looked up at the Android, waiting for the smoke to clear.

When it did, it revealed 10 to be still standing, his arms crossed in front of him. The blue skin was marred purple and black, and his limbs trembled from the impact.

"Immune to my pu-punches maybe." Raditz said with a grin.

"But n-not everything!"

Android 10 lowered his arms, robotic eyes glowing bright. He spread his arms open, face contorted in obvious rage.

"Bastard! I'll rip you apart!"

He leapt forward, trying to close distance with Raditz, who straightened and fired yet another stream of energy, from his right hand this time. But the energy sparked oddly, and the stream was frayed and less concentrated. Android 10 weathered the attack, diving straight through it and into Raditz.

His upward punch caught Raditz in the gut, forcing all the air out of his lungs and launching him skyward. Android 10 clapped his huge hands onto the ground and threw himself after Raditz, catching the flying Saiyan by the tail and spinning him around before throwing him northward. In a burst of speed, the Android appeared in his path, grabbing Raditz by the face and flying straight down at maximum speed, smashing the Saiyan's skull against the stones.

Raditz was helpless as he lay in the crater, his mind trapped in wretched pain as the blows took their toll, particularly the grabbing of his tail. He opened bleary eyes and spat blood onto his own chin. Android 10 had clasped his hands together, and was raising them above his head, the sun framing him as he smiled down.

"Goodbye, discount Goku."

The fists came down, and though the impact shook Raditz to the bone, it did not connect. Android 10's eyes widened as he watched his strike be halted by Raditz's left hand. The Saiyan, beaten and bleeding, all but defeated moments earlier, was holding back both his arms with one hand!

"M-My name," Raditz growled, drool and blood slicking from his lips as he lifted his right arm, palm aimed towards 10.

"Is Raditz!"

10 was blown away by the following energy blast, colliding through several upthrust stones before coming to rest in the side of a cliff. Raditz lifted himself carefully, wiping his mouth with the back of his right hand. As his anger rose, he also felt a sudden and substantial rise in his energy.

"I-I am a Saiyan Warrior! An elite s-soldier, a killer far beyond your station! I could NEVER l-lose to the likes of you!"

As Android 10 prised himself free of the stone, Raditz crossed his arms, head tilting back as he stared down his nose at the android.

"F-Face it fool! Your Done!"

"You talk a lot for a dead man." Android 10 said.

His chest was blackened, and even the attack which he had rushed through had left him badly burnt. He flexed his arms and hopped up and down.

"What are y-you doing? Getting some str-stretches done before you die?"

The Android stopped and looked at him.

"Giro Protocol, 1010. All Out."

The Android's skin began to steam, and changed from pale blue, to a deep, angry red. Veins bulged all over his body, his red, robot eyes turning blue. And then a flame of translucent energy engulfed 10's entire form.

"Ahhhhhhh!" He screamed as he transformed.

When the changed concluded, he remained mostly still, panting hard and gritting his teeth. Raditz raised an eyebrow,

"S-So you swapped your color p-palette, big dea-"

In the span of a short breath, Android 10 was suddenly standing inches away from him. Raditz bit his tongue as he jumped back, placing his hands out.

"Double s-sunday!"

He felt himself waver, dangerously close to passing out, but his new energy sustained the attack, and two beams of power erupted from both hands, covering android 10 in a searing stream of energy. Raditz smirked at the clearing smoke, knowing what he would find.

"St-Stupid android! You should ha-"

Again Raditz was cut off as a huge hand reached through the cloud and grasped him firmly around the neck and chin. Android 10 was revealed, still bearing his old wounds, but utterly untouched by the previous attack.

"Stupid Raditz." 10 said with a sneer.

Raditz struggled, hands gripping the android's wrist as he tried to get free. 10's skin was painfully hot, scorching the warrior as he was held. But try as he might, Raditz found himself utterly unable to budge the limb at all.

Android 10 screamed and flung Raditz into the air, nearly breaking his neck in the process. Raditz spun around in time to block four punches, exchanging a few off his own. However, a wide backhand from the android disrupted their exchange, Raditz recovering just in time to catch android 10's fist to his face, knocking him senseless for several vital seconds. With Raditz floating helplessly before him, Android 10 unloaded.

His body glowed with bright light as he threw punch after punch into the Saiyan warrior, screaming as he did, steam and energy streaming off him in burning streams and waves. Raditz was pummeled and thrown into the earth, a stone shattering knee to the gut dropping after him.

Raditz gasped, blood spraying from his mouth as the force of the blow cast all the air from his body, wracking his insides with agony. In spite of the pain, the Saiyan warrior grit his teeth. Both arms slammed back into the stone as he kicked up, knocking the android away with a kick which sent 10 into a tumble which he turned into a backflip. Raditz climbed to his feet, his breaths coming out in labored gasps.

"Give up! I'm sure that the genius Dr. Giro would be extremely interested in studying you. Give up and I'll take you to him alive, instead of in pieces." Said Android 10.

Raditz spat blood and smiled.

"W-What, you think y-you winning this fight? L-Look at yourself! You're sh-shrinking." Raditz slurred.

And indeed he was correct, Android 10's considerable bulk had already decreased in mass by nearly half.

"That f-form is pretty impressive. Excellent sp-speed, attack, and defense. But all y-you're really doing is burning through a-all the power you collected all at once."

Raditz smiled.

"All I-I have to do is ou-outlast you."

Android 10 clenched his teeth in obvious frustration, closing his hands into fists and tensing his body as he tilted his head up and bellowed into the sky. The flames around his body whipped and stirred, flaring, growing larger. Meanwhile, his whole form trembled and quaked, gradually growing larger, back to where it was before.

Raditz crouched, clenching his right fist and bring it in front of him, his left hand forming a claw which he held behind himself. When Android 10 launched himself forward, Raditz yelled, striking with his reared left hand. The clawed hand struck true, scoring across the Android's face and sending the fighter into the dirt.

But 10 did not stop, pushing through the dirt like a drill tipped missile, disappearing to Raditz's right. The Saiyan spun around, eyes darting, expecting the android to burst out of the earth right away. He did not.

"D-Damn it!" Raditz yelled, realizing the Android's ploy.

He jumped, energy throwing him upward, but too later. Like a shark breaching the surface of the ocean, Android 10 burst from the ground right beneath Raditz, massive hand reaching up and grasping the Saiyan by the ankle. He swung Raditz down like a club, mashing him into the dirt, fracturing stone.

He raised his arm again to repeat the motion, but Raditz fired a bolt of pink energy from both hands, catching the android in the chest with the blast, before using his free leg to quickly follow it up with a kick across the face. The Android staggered and Raditz yanked himself free, flying up into the air.

Android 10 glared up at the Saiyan, boosting his strength once more. Using an incredible burst of speed, Android 10 appeared suddenly behind Raditz. While surprised, Raditz reacted immediately, spinning to intercept the android with a hard back hand strike. But 10 was fast, catching the blow by grasping Raditz's forearm.

Raditz reeled back his left hand to fire an energy blast, but Android 10 quickly seized that limb as well. He then placed both feet onto Raditz's back, and heaved. Raditz tried to resist, flexing and struggling, his own aura blazing as he tried to pull his arms free. But ultimately, the android's raw physical strength could not be overcome.

Raditz's arms were slowly pulled back, straining, and after a certain point, a ragged scream of pain tore itself free of Raditz's throat. He struggled, he fought, head thrashing as he tried to find the strength to pull his arms free of the android's vice like grip.

"How do you like my Terrible Tearing Lock? I figure you already know about the lock part, and the terrible part…" The android mocked, building up his strength once more.

"But here comes the tear!"

He heaved, Raditz screamed. But then suddenly, Android 10's flame vanished.

"What the-"

Raditz pulled him forward, thick Saiyan arms curling with a strength that the Android could not defy. 10 nearly broke his own legs as they buckled against Raditz's back, his face suddenly colliding with the back of Raditz's head before the Saiyan broke free, spinning away before turning to face him. Android 10 balked openly.

"W-Wait! How did you do that! I'm-" 10 was cut off suddenly as his body shrank and his skin changed color from red to light blue.

Raditz smiled, vision blurry from the use of the headbutt.

"Time's u-up. No more energy l-left in the tank."

Raditz steadied himself and extended his arm.

"But I've still g-got plenty."

Raditz focused, trying to keep his energy under control, not desiring any further moments of forced unconsciousness, while greatly desiring to destroy the android in one blow.

~And I guess I should try spare the dragonball...if its even still in one piece.~

Raditz closed his hand, pointing towards 10 with just two fingers, which he spread like false scissors. Energy gathered there, pinkish lightning flashing around the digits. The android shrank back in fear before spinning around and flying away. Raditz smirked.

"Weekender!"

A ball of nearly white energy formed between the two fingers, a little smaller than a golf ball, and bearing a slightly pink tinge. He flicked it with his middle finger, which sent the ball flying away from him like a luminescent bullet. The sphere quickly overtook Android 10, who caught the attack in the back of the head. The ball detonated like a grenade of pure light.

ZZZZZZZZZZZZRRRRRRRRRRRRRR

Bulma waved the flare, signaling Raditz over towards her. The Saiyan floated down, a headless body slung over one shoulder. She cringed the moment she realized what it was, but couldn't help but admit that she was curious about it.

She had watched it's head explode, thanks to the drone mounted camera she had used to watch the fight. But in place of brains, gore, and blood spilling from the being, the ground was covered in circuits, wires, and oil instead.

He landed next to the car, and when she climbed off the roof, he tossed her something she only barely managed to catch. A shiney, six starred Dragonball.

"Great! That's ball number four!" She said, pulling the white suitcase from between the seats, stowing the ball.

She then noticed Raditz.

"Oh jeez, you, uh, your not looking so well."

Raditz was covered in bruises and swelling lumps. He had been nearly mortal injured by Gohan, and was still healing from that. Then Krillin and company had ganged up on him, and now this Android had used him like a punching bag. She was begrudgingly impressed by the fact that he was still standing, and that his only response was to turn and spit.

"Well don't worry tough guy, I'll patch you up some more in a minute." She said.

Bulma then turned her attention to the headless body Raditz tossed onto the ground. She grasped her personal first aid kit, yanking it out of the car and running over to the body. Raditz watched her unzip the kit, withdrawing tongs and a scalpel.

"I th-think he is a little beyond m-medical help." He said with a laugh.

"It's not about that." She said, crouching over 10's burnt chest.

She cut into him, slicing away a flap of flesh which she pulled up with the tongs. Beneath his pale blue skin, 10 was all machine.

"This is an android...another red ribbon android. And he is way more advanced than what we have faced before." She said as she worked.

"I need to take samples. Figure out how it works."

Raditz scoffed.

"Why d-do you care?"

"Because he nearly killed you."

Raditz blushed and looked away.

"I handled him j-just fine."

She laughed.

"Yeah right. Maybe after I loosened your leash."

"W-what?" He asked.

"I was watching your fight." She said, hands still working on the mechanical corpse beneath her.

"When he had you down, I let you access more of your power level. You can access 250 now."

He crossed his arms and huffed.

"I still k-killed the stupid thing. I don't see why you find i-it so interesting."

She stood up, pulling off her gloves and withdrawing the dragon radar from a pocket. She held it up to his face.

"Look!"

There he could see three small dots, one was stationary, and the other two were moving towards it. He looked past the radar and looked at her, swollen eyebrow raised.

"So?"

She sighed, resting her hands on her hips.

"Obviously, someone just collected the other three dragon balls."

"And?"

She rolled her eyes.

"And who do you think it is genius?"

Raditz paused.

"Oh...M-More Androids."

"Yes." Bulma said, turning back towards the headless android 10.

"More Androids."


End file.
